How to Attract and Retain the Best Employees

Harvard Business Review recently published theculture --meritocracy and transparency, plus a
result and analysis of an eight-month researchfollow-through on promises made upon hiring
project that involved interviewing dozens of--completes the package that attracts and retains
executives and collecting data from more than 20these high-potential employees.
global companies to study the war for talentA thorough analysis of the study done suggests
recruitment and retention. Leading businessthat these four elements can be united under two
thinkers Douglas Ready, Linda Hill and Jay Congerguiding principles: promises made and promises
spill it off on an article titled "Winning the Race forkept. "Promises made" are the combination of
Talent in Emerging Markets."brand, opportunity and purpose while "promises
This new research shows that attracting andkept" are the employees' day to day experiences
retaining the best talents/employees in thewithin an organization's culture. Though employees
emerging markets involves four elements: brand,don't necessarily value the same thing, both
opportunity, purpose and culture.principles definitely affect any quest for talent.
A strong lure of brand attracts talents because aMost companies continue to believe that a big
desirable affiliation and a reputation for excellencesalary and a name brand will suffice to meet the
may lead to personal advancement. On the sametalent's needs, but a local company that creates
hand, they view opportunity as either angenuine opportunities and exhibits desirable cultural
accelerated career track to senior position or aconditions will often win out over a Western
lateral move which matches their skills andmultinational that offers bigger paycheck, the
experience with the growth in the markets.study divulges.
Challenging work, continual training andMany of the companies included in the study have
development, and competitive pay are also partexperienced extraordinary attrition rate. It can be
of the pot of opportunity that they seek. Theyattributed to the fact that in a competitive
are likewise attracted to companies "where theymarket the tendency is for companies to
can be part of redefining their nation and the"over-promise" just to get people in the door.
world economy," the study further reveals. TheyHowever, failure to deliver the promises sparks
wanted to be part of a company which has athe quest for other companies that offer greater
strong guiding purpose. And lastly, a company'srewards.